Exeter launch Champions Cup defence with crushing defeat of Glasgow
Exeter launched their defence of the Heineken Champions Cup by crushing Glasgow 42-0 at Sandy Park. Roared on by a 2,000 crowd – the first spectators allowed into Sandy Park since March – Exeter delivered a comprehensive win that put them firmly among the early Pool B pace-setters.
Chiefs’ former Glasgow stars Stuart Hogg and Jonny Gray scored tries, while there were also touchdowns for number eight Sam Simmonds, wing Olly Woodburn, lock Jonny Hill and skipper Jack Yeandle, with Joe Simmonds kicking six conversions.
Glasgow showed plenty of grit, but they offered little in attack as Exeter’s forwards dominated and Chiefs had a bonus point secured midway through the third quarter.
Life for the European champions will soon get infinitely tougher, with four-time tournament winners Toulouse waiting for them in France next Sunday.
Toulouse opened their campaign in impressive fashion away to Ulster, and the encounter against Exeter already looks a pivotal game regarding the race for quarter-final places.
But Exeter will travel in confident mood, having knocked out Toulouse at last season’s semi-final stage and winning all four of their domestic and European games this term with bonus points.
Both sides welcomed back a number of international players, with Exeter including ex-Glasgow players Hogg and Gray, as the Chiefs began a new Champions Cup campaign just 57 days after they lifted the trophy by beating Racing 92 in Bristol.
It was a hesitant opening by the Chiefs, though, with Simmonds putting the kick-off straight into touch, before Glasgow gained a long-range penalty from the resulting scrum that Peter Horne sent narrowly wide.
But Exeter were soon into their renowned rhythm, and they delivered a trademark try after 14 minutes.
They went close with a driven lineout, and when Chiefs repeated the tactic from their next attack, Sam Simmonds made no mistake, touching down for a score that his brother Joe converted.
The Exeter forwards began to find overdrive, and there was little Glasgow could do stem a relentless flow of phase-play deep inside their own 22.
Gray crashed over for a second try in the 24th minute, again converted by Simmonds, and referee Mathieu Raynal lost patience with Glasgow’s repeated infringing, showing a yellow card to centre Sam Johnson.
Glasgow did not concede a point while Johnson was off, and while Exeter did not score again before half-time, the visitors saw two more departures when Horne and hooker George Turner departed for head injury assessments.
It was a solid, rather than spectacular, first 40 minutes by the Chiefs, but with no doubting their supremacy up-front.
Right on cue, the Exeter backs took centre stage just two minutes after the start when Woodburn made a searing midfield break and sent Hogg across for a superb try that Simmonds converted.
There was no way back for Glasgow, and Exeter collected a bonus point in the 54th minute when Glasgow’s lineout malfunctioned and Yeandle scored a simple try, converted by Simmonds.
Great example of a big, legal and safe tackle – perfectly executed by @FagersonMatt #EXEvGLA pic.twitter.com/hvzk7oyOg4
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 13, 2020
Exeter had not finished yet, and Woodburn showed the Glasgow defence a clean pair of heels to add try number five, which the immaculate Simmonds converted.
And with one eye on the meeting Toulouse in seven days’ time, Exeter boss Rob Baxter made a host of changes, taking off the likes of Hogg and flanker Dave Ewers and being able to reflect on a convincing afternoon’s work.
Comments on RugbyPass
Always reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
1 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
4 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
4 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
4 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
7 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to comments